Reenforced shoe upper



May 6 1924.

P. R. GLASS REENFORCED SHOEl UPPER Filed June 29 1922 Patented May 6,lSEi.

PERLEY It. GLASS, F WAYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MA-CHINERY CORPORATO'N, OF ATERSON, NEW JERSEY,'A CORPORATION Ol? NEWJERSEY.

REENFORCED SHOE UPPER.

Application led June 29, 1922.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PERLEY R. GLAss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vayland, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Reenforced ShoeUppers, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters onthe drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

rThis invention relates to shoe uppers provided with reenforced lacingholes. The most common type of device for reinforcing lacing holes is ametallic eyelet, and while an eyelet usually satisfies the requirementsfor reinforcement there are some situations where eyelets areobjectionable for one reason or another. For example, a large proportionof the better grades of shoes, at the present time, are provided withinvisible eyelets, so-called because they do not appear on the outsideof the shoe. Inother words, the eyelet extends through and reinforcesthe interior layer or layers of the upper but 'does not extend throughthe external layer, the lacing hole in the external layer being leftbare so that the shoe will not have the appearance of being eyeleted.Some reinforcement is always necessary to sustain the stresses andchafing action of the lacing, for otherwise the lacing would either tearthe holes or otherwise enlarge them and distort the upper so badly as tospoil its appearance if not actually to render it unfit for serviceafter comparatively short use.

@ne difficulty met in invisible eyeleting as it is now practiced is thatthe hole in the uneyeleted layer must be large enough to permit aclenching instrumentality to pass through it so as to clench the eyeletbetween two of the layers, whereas the trade demands a small hole in theuneyeleted layer, preferably so small that it will be filled by a'lacingeven when the latter is under tension pulling it against one side of thehole. Consequently, this demand of the trade increases the difficulty ofdoing invisible eyeleting satisfactorily. Furthermore, regardlessV ofwhether-the hole in the uneyeleted layer is small enough to satisfy thedemands of the trade it becomes stretched when the lacing is pulledtight, and wears larger at the 'point where the lacing chafes it,thereby exposing' portion of the eyelet.

Serial No. 571,604.

In view of the foregoing and other difliculties an object of theinvention is to provide a shoe upper having uneyeleted lacing holes soreenforced as to sustain the chafing and stresses of the lacing withoutinjury. A feature of the invention consists in providing the uneyeletedlacing holes with improved reinforcing means at the points where thelacing would otherwise injure the upper, specifically, at the pointswhere the bights of the lacing tend to chafe and stretch the upper.

A shoe quarter usually comprises three or four layers, and my improvedreinforcing device is preferably larranged to extend through all thelayers to line the lacing hole and to form a bearing for that part ofthe lacing that extends through the lacing hole. Also, the extremitiesof the device are bent over upon the surfaces of the quarter, partly toanchor the device, partly to clamp the layers in place, and partly toprotect the surfaces against the chafing action ofthe lacing. Theextremities may be, and the one lying on the outside surface preferablyis, so proportioned as to be covered and concealed by the lacing, thusleaving the lacing hole bare excepting at the portion against which thelacing is pulled. The external layer, as well as the other layer orlayers, is thus' reenforced at the point where it is subj ected to thepull of the lacing, and since the reinforce is anchored to the externallayer in addition to the layer forming the opposite surface of the upperit preserves the shape of the external layer and prevents the layersfrom being pulled or stretched unevenly.

In addition to preserving the upper in better condition and overcomingcertain difficulties encountered in invisible eyeleting a reinforcingdevice such as that herein shown is more economical than an eyelet.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l is a perspective view of a shoe upperhaving lacing holes reenforced in accordance with this invention, thelacing holes being bare excepting at the points where the lacing will bepulled against it;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing a preferred arrangement of thereinforcing elements for an oblique arrangement of the externalstretches of the lacing;

Fig'. 3 is a view of the reverse side ofthe elements shown inv Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view intersecting the lacing hole reenforcedaccording to the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 excepting that the outside stretchesof lacing extend squarely across from one quarter to the other and thereinforcing clips are arranged to register with said stretches.

A shoe upper of usual construction, as shown by Fig. 1, comprises anexternal layer 10 of leather, a lining 11 of woven material, and aninside facing 19., usually of leather. rl`he narrow strip of relativelystrong' woven material, called an eyelet stay and heretofore interposedbetween the lining and the external leather 10 to insure satisfactoryanchorage of invisible eyelets may be omitted without sacrificing anynecessary factor when the upper is provided with reinforcing devicesaccording to this invention. It is customary in this country to providethe quarters of the upper with eyelets before they are stitched to thevamps, and it would be consistent with such practice to provide themwith reinforcing devices in accordance with this invention beforestitching them to the Vamps. The lacing holes 13 may be punched by anywell-known or preferred machine. When the lacing holes are circular,they are preferably so small as to be filled by the lacing even when thelatter is drawn to take up slaclr. The reinforce may be made from astrip of any suitable ductile sheet material such as brass, and is bent(see F ig. 4l) to a U-shape, its bend or bends crossing its maj ordimension to provide confronting clamping portions and a connectingportion that extends through the lacing hole. The device shown has aclamping portion 14, two companion clamping portions 15, 15 and aconnecting portion 16, and is applied to the upper so that the singletongue 14 lies on the external surface while the two tongues 15 lie onthe inside facing 12 and the connecting portion 16 extends through thelacing hole and provides a lining therefor. The device is secured to theupper by pressing the clamping portions toward each other and the tipsof the tongues are preferably bent inwardly to indent the upper as shownby Fig. l so as to increase the holding effeet. rlhe lining portion 16is preferably curved to conform to the curvature of the hole, therebystiffening the device, improving the bearing for the lacing, andseparating the tips of the portions 15, 15. The width or minordimensions of the strip of metal is preferably less than the diameter ofthe lacing and the tongue or clamping portion 111 is preferably taperedso that it will be less likely to be exposed when the shoe is laced.

According to the arrangement shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the reinforce isapplied to the shoe so that the tongue 14 will be oblique externalstretch of the lacing and will be wholly concealed hereby. The divergingrelation of the tongues 15, 15 broadens the bearing of the device on theinside facing so that the device is held more securely.

If it were preferred to apply the lacing so that the external stretches18 would extend straight across the opening, that is, at right angles tothe front edges of the upper, 1t would be preferable to arrangethereinforcing devices as shown by Fig. 5, in which case the externaltongues or clamping portions 11i would be parallel to the externalstretches and would therefore be wholly covered or concealed by them. i

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters lJatent of the United States is:

1. A' shoe upper provided with lacing holes which are lined in thoseportions only which are adjacent to the lacing slit.

2. A shoe upper provided with uneyeleted lacing holes and withreinforcing means located in said holes to protect the upper from injuryunder the stress of the lacing.

3; A shoe upper having une-yeleted lacing holes which are lined withmetallic reinforcements in their portions adjacent to the lacing slit toreceive the stress of the lacing in the wear of the shoe.

Ll. A shoe upper having uneyeleted lacing holes provided with metallicreinforcing members formed and arranged to be concealed by the bights ofthe lacing.

5. A shoe upper having uneyeleted lacing holesi provided with U-shapedreinforcing members formed and arranged to hold the layers together andto prevent wear of the lacing on the outer surface of the upper.

'6. An article of manufacture comprising an element of sheet materialhaving a hole to receive a lacing, and a reinforce consisting of a stripof ductile sheet metal having one or more bends crossing its majordimension and forming two confronting portions and an integral portionconnecting them, said connecting portion being arranged to extendthrough the lacing hole in position to sustain the tension of thelacing, and said confronting portions being arranged to clamp theelement of sheet material to x-` the position of said connectingportion.

7. A shoe upper having lacing holes that are bare excepting at theportions against which the lacing is pulled, and metallic clips fastenedto said upper and extending" through the lacing holes to furnishbearings for the lacing.

8. A shoe upper having lacing holes that arey bare excepting at theportions against which the lacing is pulled, and metallic clips' eachhaving clamping portionsand an integral connecting portion arranged tounderlie the lacing, said connecting portion extending through thelacing hole and said clamping portions being arranged to exercise theirclamping action on opposite surfaces of the upper. f e

9. A shoe upperhaving lacing holes that are bare excepting atytheportions against which the lacing is pulled, and reinforcing meansfastenedfto the upper in position to `cover said portions 'and sustainthe stresses are bare excepting at the portions against which the lacingis pulled, and sheet metal clips arranged to cover said portions, eachof said clips comprising confronting portions lying on opposite surfacesof the upper and a portion connecting them and eX- tending through thelacing hole, said connecting portion being concave in cross-section toform a trough or groove for the lac- 1ng.

l2. A shoe upper having lacing holes that are bare vexcepting at theportions against which the lacing is pulled, and metallic clips arrangedto furnish bearings for the lacing, each of said clips comprisingconfronting portions arranged to clamp opposite surfaces of the upperand a relatively stiff portion connecting them and eX- tending throughthe lacing hole.

In testimony whereof I have signed my y name to this specification.

PERLEY R. GLASS.

